Abilene is celebrating the American cowboy this May with the annual Western Heritage Classic at the Taylor County Expo Center.
This four-day event, held May 7-10, honors West Texas’ ranching history with a primier ranch rodeo, a bit-and-spur show and many other authentic western-style events.
“All of civilization in West, Texas, can trace its roots back to the ranching industry,” said Jeff Gore, the poetry and music chairman of the Western Heritage Classic. “There were no towns out here until there were ranches out here. “
Ranching still remains a vital and prominent part of West Texas society, and the Western Heritage Classic highlights these local working cattle ranches through its ranch rodeo, a ranch-style take on the classic rodeo most people are used to seeing.
“The ranch rodeo is events that are based on the work [cowboys] do on the ranch every day,” said Gore. “There’ll be teams of four to six guys. They do have a bronc riding event, but they also have other events that are roping cattle or sorting cattle out of the herd, different things that you would typically do on a ranch. They’re just done for time in the arena as a team.”
The Western Heritage Classic is also set to feature the National Ranch Horse Association of America National Finals. It’s a prestigious competitive event where horse and trainer must demonstrate working cattle in a specific manner.
“It’s a cow-horse show, and it gives trainers the opportunity to show their horses working cattle,” said Gore. “They hold them in the end, which is called boxing. They run them down the wall or down the fence, and then do a reining pattern.”
The Western Heritage Classic is also home to the largest bit and spur show in the country. The show features a gathering of vendors selling modern cowboy gear as well as antique and collectors’ items by prominent makers.
“Most of the people who have their wares there are actual makers,” said Gore. “They build the stuff, tack and saddlery, and all the gear that Cowboys use on ranches are for sale there by the people that built them.”
Other events to be featured at the Western Heritage Classic include a chuckwagon cookoff, ranch horse sale, cowboy poetry reading, kids’ stick horse rodeo, and downtown western parade.
“It’s such a great event just to come out and see the whole culture of the American Cowboy that is still alive,” said Gore.
For the event schedule, tickets and more information, visit the Western Heritage Classic website.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene to celebrate cowboy culture with Western Heritage Classic
Reporting by Lauren Dossey, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
